


In These Arms, Part VI: A Tale Of Two Enterprises

by mrpicard



Series: Star Trek: TNG - In These Arms [6]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Movies)
Genre: Baby fan fic, Crossover, M/M, Starfleet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-13
Updated: 2015-05-01
Packaged: 2018-03-17 16:28:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3536264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrpicard/pseuds/mrpicard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Desperate times call for desperate measures - and the Enterprise gets a new crew member. Sort of.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've always been bothered by the obvious canon violations that Star Trek: Enterprise had so many of, so I made up my own explanation for these WTF moments, which actually enabled me to enjoy the show a lot more than I ever thought I would.
> 
> Another reason for writing this part is the fact that I really wanted for Jean-Luc and Archer to meet.

 

"Captain?"  
  
Picard, who had just been about to leave the bridge in order to spend a few quiet moments by himself in his ready room to prepare for a certain wedding ceremony that would take place in a few hours, stopped walking and turned towards his chief of security. "What is it, Commander?"  
  
"I don't know for sure," Burke answered. "Sensors are going crazy all of a sudden."  
  
"Define 'going crazy'," Picard said, unable to hide the impatience in his voice.

"It's a spatial anomaly of some kind," Mordock chimed in. "And it's right in front of us."  
  
"All stop. Put it on screen," Picard ordered, sighed inwardly and walked back to his chair - so much for a few quiet moments.  
  
The big viewscreen went on and showed a large, blue mass of swirling gases.  
  
"Any idea of what exactly this is, Commander Mordock?"

"I'm not fully certain yet, sir. I'll have an answer for you shortly," Mordock said absent-mindedly and typed a few more commands into his console before he realized his mistake. "Sorry, sir. Old Benzite habit. All the results that I have so far indicate that this anomaly appears to be of a temporal nature."  
  
"Captain, some of the readings are going off the scale!" Burke exclaimed. "Something's coming through!"

Picard focused his attention on the viewscreen where something was indeed slowly piercing through the swirling gases, and then more of it, and more - until it was revealed to be the saucer section of a ship, followed by two nacelles.

The captain frowned - he had never seen a ship like this before, and yet its general design was unmistakably Starfleet. "Hail them, Commander."

Silence.

"No response, sir. I don't think they can receive us, at least not on our standard frequencies."  
  
"Captain, the anomaly is beginning to destabilize," Mordock remarked. "The ship is still caught in its gravimetric field - my readings indicate that its hull will not be able to withstand the pressure."  
  
"Can't they raise shields?" Picard wondered.  
  
"They don't appear to _have_ any, sir."  
  
"What?" Picard looked at the Ferengi at the helm. "Ensign Gos, move us in closer and then activate and extend our shields around them. Make sure we don't get caught in the field ourselves."  
  
"Aye, sir."

Silence.

"We are within range," Gos announced.  
  
"Extend shields."  
  
"Shields extended."  
  
"Captain, the anomaly is collapsing."  
  
Picard watched the blue swirls fade in and out of existence, and then the whole thing vanished in one final bright flash, leaving behind nothing but the familiar blackness of space.  
  
"Sir, we are being hailed now - on a very old Starfleet frequency," Burke said from behind.  
  
Picard stood up from his chair and tugged his uniform jacket into place. "Deactivate visual and put them on speakers. I want audio only for now."  
  
"Aye, sir. Audio only, incoming transmission."  
  
" _This is Captain Jonathan Archer of the starship Enterprise. Thanks for rescuing us. Who are you?_ "  
  
Enterprise? Picard froze for a second - the situation had suddenly become even more delicate . "This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of... a Federation starship. What is your business in our space?"  
  
A long pause before the answer came. " _What are you talking about? What Federation? We've been told that this region of space is called the Expanse._ "  
  
Suddenly the viewscreen flickered to life. "What the -" Picard began but fell silent immediately when he saw a rather attractive young man standing in some kind of blue mist - the same blue mist that they had just encountered in space.  
  
"Hello Captain Picard," the man said. "My name is Daniels. And this should not have happened."

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

Picard turned around and looked at his bridge crew in order to make sure no one was going to take any aggressive steps, and it took him a few seconds to realize that something was wrong: They weren't moving. "Commander Burke? Commander Mordock?"  
  
"They can't hear you," a voice coming directly from behind Picard suddenly said.

The captain whirled around and found himself face to face with the young man from the viewscreen. "Wha-"

"Forgive my sudden appearance. I didn't mean to startle you."  
  
"What have you done with my crew?" Picard demanded. "If this is one of your tricks, Q -"  
  
"I'm neither the rather infamous Q you have come to know nor a member of the Q Continuum," the man interrupted. "As I said, my name is Daniels, and I have done nothing with your crew - I've simply suspended time for a few moments so that the two of us can talk. This situation needs to be handled with the utmost delicacy and I believe _you_ are the most qualified person to do so."

Picard took a deep breath - experience had taught him that, for now, it was better to play along. "What is going on here?"  
  
"You've guessed a lot already," Daniels replied. "What you don't know is that the temporal anomaly caused a rift not only in time but also in _universes_. That ship out there is indeed from the past... but not from yours. You are familiar with the theory of multiple universes that are the result of various outcomes for one action?"  
  
"Yes...?"

"Good, then I won't have to explain _too_ much, but I guess it won't hurt to start at the beginning anyway." Daniels folded his arms across his chest. "You see, that ship out there is from a timeline that never came to be in your universe. _You_ helped creating it, however."  
  
Picard stared at him. "I did _what_?"  
  
"Do you remember the incident with the Borg in 2063? When you followed them back in time and prevented them from stopping first contact with the Vulcans?"  
  
Picard's face hardened at the memory. "Yes."  
  
"The Borg are a rather forceful enemy not only for you, Captain. They have a way of contaminating timelines - that fight against their Sphere was not supposed to be happening. When you destroyed it, the residual temporal particles all around both of your ships caused a temporal explosion."  
  
"A temporal explosion?" Picard echoed.  
  
"A rather unfortunate event that often creates alternate universes."  
  
"We didn't detect -"  
  
"You couldn't have, because you don't have the technology yet."

Picard took another deep breath. "Let's say that you're telling the truth - are you saying that we accidentally created an entire alternate universe?"  
  
"In a way, yes." Daniels began to pace. "In your timeline, a certain man on that Earth in 2063 was killed in a shuttle car accident caused by an engine malfunction. In the alternate timeline in which various parts of that Sphere actually ended up on your Earth, that man was _not_ killed because his shuttle car was hit by a small Sphere fragment. He stopped, shook his head - and then noticed the engine malfunction. He fixed it and drove home. A few years later he fathered a child, whose name was Henry. Henry Archer."  
  
"Jonathan Archer..."  
  
"Yes. He's Henry Archer's son."  
  
"And all that because of that Sphere fragment? I find that hard to believe."  
  
"The temporal explosion of the Sphere and the particles around it acted as what we call a 'catalyst in time' from which alternate universes are created. Most of them are unstable and collapse within milliseconds after their creation, but there are exceptions - such as the one the people on that ship out there come from. Their universe is relatively stable, although I can't deny that I've had my share of difficulty with it."  
  
"From when exactly is that ship? The century, I mean."  
  
"22nd century. Their version of it differs from yours in a few significant and a lot of insignificant ways."  
  
"What ways?"

"I can't explain all the nuances - I've said way too much already. But I _can_ tell you that the Starfleet from that 22nd century is at war with a species called the Xindi."  
  
"Xindi?" Picard echoed. "I've never heard that name."  
  
"That's because they never existed in your universe," Daniels said. "Don't ask me why - it would really take too long to explain - the only thing you need to know now is that you have to get Archer and his ship back to where they belong. It is crucial for his timeline that he returns at roughly the same point at which he left. If he doesn't, his universe's version of humanity will be destroyed."  
  
Picard frowned. "How?"  
  
"The Xindi will launch a weapon that destroys Earth. After that, they will hunt down every last human being."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"They believe that humanity will destroy their planet one day."

"Will it?"  
  
"No, of course not."  
  
"Then why -"  
  
"As I've said repeatedly, Captain, I can't go into too many details. All I can tell you is that you _have_ to help Archer to get back. But... for that, you will have to gain his trust first."  
  
"His trust?" Picard echoed. "He's a fellow Starfleet officer, how hard can it be?"  
  
Daniels sighed. "He isn't like _any_ of the captains you've met. He's suspicious, prone to violent outbursts and the term diplomacy isn't exactly in his vocabulary, at least not yet. His universe's version of the Federation doesn't exist yet - for now, humanity is basically on its own, the only true allies being the Vulcans, who are not exactly very trustworthy for reasons that I can't reveal. In short, it's a rather volatile environment, and that's the way the people from it behave." Daniel suddenly began to fade and Picard only now realized that he had been talking to an insanely sophisticated holographic simulation. "I have to go now. I'm needed elsewhere."  
  
Picard raised his hand. "Wait - what exactly can I tell Archer of all this?"  
  
"Under normal circumstances I would say the less he knows the better - but he isn't the type who accepts half-hearted explanations," Daniels replied. "If you want to gain his trust you will have to be as honest as possible with him. Goodbye, Captain Picard."  
  
With that, he vanished completely.

"Captain?" Burke suddenly asked from behind.  
  
Picard whirled around. "Yes, Commander?"  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes, I am. I just had... a few enlightening moments."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
Picard waved his hand and turned back to the viewscreen. "I'll explain later. Activate visual communication."  
  
"Captain...?!"  
  
"Just _do_ it," Picard snapped.  
  
Burke winced slightly. "Aye, sir - visual communication."  
  
The viewscreen flickered to life and showed a rather tall and handsome man in a strange, jumpsuit-like uniform that Picard had never seen before. The surprise, however, seemed to be mutual - the looks of utter astonishment on the faces of the bridge crew were hard to ignore.  
  
"Captain Archer?" Picard enquired.  
  
The man raised his chin and Picard realized immediately that Daniels had been right - this captain would not take kindly to beating around the bush. " _Yes_?"  
  
"Would you be willing to come over to my ship? We have quite a few things to discuss, as I'm sure you'll agree _._ "  
  
Archer glanced at a woman who was sitting on a station to his left and only now did Picard realize that she was Vulcan. She raised an eyebrow but said nothing. " _I'll take a shuttlepod and be over there in about ten minutes._ "  
  
"That's not necessary. We can transport you."  
  
Archer's eyes widened. " _You have a completely stable transporter?_ "  
  
Picard resisted the urge to slap himself. He should have anticipated this - after all, the ship _was_ from a rather distant past. "Yes, we do."  
  
Archer shrugged. " _Well..._ _I guess look forward to trying it out._ "


	3. Chapter 3

 

Archer stared at Picard. " _Daniels_? I should've known!"  
  
"It was a holographic simulation," Picard added quickly.  
  
"That figures," Archer growled. "With that man you never know if he's actually here, there, a simulation..."  
  
"I take it you've had unpleasant dealings with him...?"  
  
"You could say that. You shouldn't trust him - he only tells the truth when it suits him."  
  
"To me he really seemed intent on cleaning up this situation," Picard said. "And, the fact remains that you're here - and since you obviously don't _belong_ here, we need to find a way to help you return to where you came from. This time, Daniels and you _do_ appear to have the same goal."  
  
Archer sat down on the chair in front of Picard's desk and looked around. "It's kinda hard to believe that this isn't some elaborate trick that's being played on us. Wouldn't surprise me - the Expanse _is_ a strange place."  
  
"What exactly is it, this Expanse?"  
  
"We're not sure yet. It's a region of space that's basically one hell of a big anomaly. And it's where the Xindi are building their weapon."

"The one that will destroy your Earth if you don't find it first."  
  
"Yes." Archer looked at Picard. "You don't seem unsettled by any of this. Granted, it's not the Earth of _your_ past, but there are still a lot of human lives at stake."  
  
"On the contrary, I'm very concerned," Picard replied matter-of-factly. "But until my engineers have found out how your presence in this universe came to be, there is very little I can do. Even if your Expanse and these Xindi existed in this time line, my crew and I would still be a few hundred years too late to help."  
  
Archer stood up and walked over to the bookshelf. "You know, I glanced at your bridge consoles while I was being escorted here. None of the configurations looked familiar." He reached out his hand and touched the back of one of the books. "At least _these_ have remained the same."  
  
"Your time line is different from ours," Picard reminded him.  
  
"Sure," Archer admitted. "But I think it's safe to assume that this is very similar to what our future will look like. If we find that Xindi weapon in time, that is." He turned around and faced Picard. "The Federation... is it really one big alliance in space?"  
  
Picard frowned. "How did you know?"  
  
"Daniels mentioned it briefly to me once. A United Federation of Planets, he called it. And Earth is its center since it's the planet where it all started."  
  
"That describes it rather accurately, yes."  
  
"Without Earth, there wouldn't be a Federation?"  
  
"I find it... doubtful," Picard said slowly. "In our time line, humans were the central core of that very first alliance that led to the founding of the Federation."  
  
"I don't think it will be much different in my universe, not from all the fuss that Daniels is making. Which means that if the Xindi destroy Earth, it won't affect only humanity - it will change the future of dozens of other species, too. I don't think this is supposed to be happening."  
  
Picard leaned back in his chair. "Daniels told me that these Xindi will destroy Earth because they believe humans will pose a threat to them in their future. He also said this wasn't true."  
  
Archer nodded and sat down again. "Someone's been feeding them misinformation."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"We don't know yet. There's a Temporal Cold War going on in my time line. I suspect that it has something to do with that."  
  
"A what?"  
  
Archer waved his hand. "It's very complicated, and I don't understand most of it myself. Let's just say that there's someone who doesn't want humanity to succeed the way it seems to be supposed to. Like _you_ did, for example."  
  
"We're not perfect, Captain Archer. We still have to work on ourselves."  
  
"From what I've seen so far I don't think there's much left to be done. You've been sitting in that chair for the past twenty minutes and have barely even moved a muscle. I can tell that you're telling the truth when you say you're concerned - but you don't _show_ it. You're a lot less emotional. And a lot less... well..." He broke off.  
  
"...human?" Picard finished.  
  
"I didn't want to say it."  
  
Picard smiled. "I understand how one can get that impression. However, my universe has its share of dangers as well. And, believe it or not, the Federation _has_ enemies."  
  
"Are you currently at war?"  
  
"Not precisely, no."  
  
"A mostly peaceful universe, then."  
  
"It wasn't always like that. We've had long and bloody conflicts, one of them only recently. I can't tell you any more details, however. I'm breaking the Temporal Prime Directive with every word already."  
  
"Temporal Prime Directive?"  
  
"Non-interference with the past should the opportunity arise."  
  
"But we're not from your past," Archer said. "The Directive doesn't apply."  
  
"No, but our universes are similar, and I don't want to risk too much contamination."  
  
"Don't worry, we're too busy with the Xindi to consider the future wars of the Federation. Well, at least we _would_ be too busy if we were where we're supposed to be."  
  
"I can assure you that we will do anything to help you get back to your universe."  
  
"Thank you, Captain. I would offer you our assistance but that seems rather pointless since your technology is much more advanced than ours."

"Your findings might still be useful," Picard remarked. "Remember, your instruments are from a different past. You might detect things we can't. I would like for us to combine our efforts - if you agree, of course."  
  
"How's that supposed to work? If I send you members of my crew they will see certain things and you would contaminate our time line even more than you already have."  
  
"I was thinking of sending my chief engineer over to your ship to analyze your data . That should be enough for now."  
  
"Sounds good to me. I'll talk to _my_ chief engineer and we'll let you know when we're ready." Archer stood up - and then froze because his gaze had fallen on a small box on Picard's desk that had a picture of two rings on it.  
  
"What is it?" Picard asked.  
  
"This." Archer pointed at the box. "The members of your crew are free to pursue relationships with one another?"  
  
"Yes, they are. There were different rules once, but they proved to be... impractical."  
  
"I wish my Starfleet would come to a similar conclusion," Archer muttered. "Anyway - I hope we didn't mess up anyone's wedding plans with our arrival. The last thing I'd want would be to keep you from performing your wedding duties as a captain. Please give my regards to the happy couple."  
  
"You have just done so, at least to one half."  
  
Archer frowned. "You mean _you_ are the one who's getting married?!"  
  
"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Picard retorted sarcastically.  
  
"I didn't mean it that way," Archer said quickly. "It's just that, in my time, the idea of a married captain is... somewhat unthinkable. We tend to be married to our ships."  
  
"Things are not very different in this universe either, actually."  
  
"But you're still free to marry."

"Of course - if a captain manages to find a successful balance between duty and personal life."

"It's not just the captain.  It takes one hell of a partner, too - they have to be very understanding."  
  
"My soon-to-be husband is _just_ that."  
  
Archer smiled. "Then give my regards to _him_ as well." He took a deep breath. "I really should be going now, though."  
  
Picard stood up. "I'll ask my chief of security to escort you to the transporter room."  
  
"Thanks."

**********

 

 

"How'd it go?" Tucker asked as soon as Archer stepped off the transporter platform.  
  
"Picard says he'll help us - he actually wants to send over his chief engineer. You got any objections?"

"No...?"

"Okay, I'll tell Picard - and you clean up engineering, will you?"  
  
" _My_ engines are spotless. I'm more concerned about something else: Can we actually _trust_ them?"  
  
"I don't see that we have a choice, Trip. Our own readings confirm that this is the Expanse and yet it is not, and that these are the stars and yet they're not because we're in the future. Or rather, an alternate future. If this is all a ruse it's a pretty damn impressive one." Archer slowly began to walk down the corridor.

Tucker followed him immediately. "So, what's it like over there? What did you see?"  
  
"Not much."  
  
"You musta seen _somethin_ '," Tucker insisted.  
  
Archer smiled slightly but said nothing.  
  
"Oh come on, Capn!"  
  
"Trip."  
  
The engineer raised his hands. "Alright, alright, I get the message. You can't say anything - so, drop it, Trip."  
  
"Exactly."


	4. Chapter 4

 

Picard strode into Eleven Forward and smiled when he saw Alex standing behind the bar, slowly finishing one of his famous chocolate ice cream sundaes. He walked up to the bar and put his hands on it. "Hello."  
  
The young bartender looked up. "Oh! Hey! I didn't expect you down here. Thought you had your hands full with that Captain Archer fellow."  
  
"You know already?"  
  
"Yup. I've put all the wedding preparations in here on hold because of what happened. Admiral DeSoto is quite displeased, though. Says he could order you to proceed with the wedding so that he can get, and I quote, 'the hell out of here because I don't know how long I can turn a blind eye to these blatant violations of the Temporal Prime Directive'".

Picard waved his hand. "Robert just loves to exaggerate. He was a captain himself until only a few years ago. He understands."  
  
"Oh, I know." Alex handed the sundae to one of his waiters. "I guess what it comes down to is that I'll be here... whenever you're ready for our wedding ceremony."  
  
Picard shook his head. "No. If there's _one_ thing I've learned in my career as a Starfleet officer it's that space has a way of punishing you for putting personal things on hold for too long. Archer or not, you and I will get married as planned. There's no need to put anything on hold. Please, tell everyone to resume the preparations."

"Alright, then... I guess it's time for me to get my new black tux ready, huh?"  
  
"Yes, but before you do that… do you have a few minutes?"  
  
"Sure." Alex looked around. "We can sit at our favorite table if you want."  
  
"I would appreciate that."

"Come on, then."  
  
The two men walked into a secluded corner of the bar and sat down at a small table. It was fairly well-known that the table was their favorite, so, the crew had made it a point to always keep it vacant, despite Picard's and Alex' assurances that the table was _not_ supposed to be used by only the two of them.  
  
"You said you're familiar with the current situation?" Picard asked softly.  
  
"I've heard, yes."  
  
"And...?"  
  
"Hmm. I'd say you're treading on some _very_ thin ice."  
  
"I know," Picard sighed. "But what am I supposed to do? Leave Archer to his own devices?"

"No, but I'm seriously wondering how far the Temporal Prime Directive can be stretched. Admiral DeSoto is your friend, sure, but even _he_ can't look away forever. Especially not since you're now sending Geordi over there to help."  
  
"Geordi knows that he mustn't reveal anything beyond what's absolutely necessary. Besides, the Temporal Prime Directive mostly refers to non-interference with our own timeline's past. But Archer and his crew are from an alternate past. None of this will be changing _our_ history."  
  
"But what about _theirs_? What if they were supposed to end up here?"  
  
"Archer is looking for a weapon that will wipe out his Earth if he doesn't manage to stop it," Picard said. "He simply can't _afford_ to be supposed to end up here."  
  
"What if he asks you for assistance that goes beyond what you're offering him right now? Weapons, for example."  
  
"Why would he do that? He knows I can't give him any weapons. The Temporal Prime Directive can only be stretched _so_ far."

"Jean-Luc, he's from the 22nd century. In his time, the Temporal Prime Directive is nowhere near any kind of consideration. Hell, they most likely don't even have the Prime Directive itself yet. And you just said it - the entire future of their version of humanity is at stake. Do you really think he's _not_ going to take an opportunity like this?"  
  
"But -"  
  
Alex raised his hand. "You mustn't look at him from our 24th century point of view. He doesn't have the same Starfleet rules and regulations that have been surrounding you for so many years. He probably doesn't even have any other Starfleet vessels to deal with on a regular basis. From his point of view, we are simply another ship he has no particular affiliation with."  
  
"So, you actually believe he's going to ask me for weapons?"  
  
"Not precisely. Like you said, he knows you won't give him any. At least not willingly."  
  
"He can't take them by force," Picard said sternly. "He wouldn't stand a chance against this ship."  
  
Alex shook his head. "You're _still_ not looking at things from Archer's perspective. He knows he can't demand and he knows he can't fight - which means there's only one thing left for him to do: Steal."  
  
" _Steal_?" Picard echoed, visibly shocked. "I refuse to believe that a Starfleet captain would -"  
  
"His Starfleet isn't _your_ Starfleet," Alex insisted. "His superiors would most likely even _authorize_ such a thing if it helped saving humanity."  
  
"You're taking things to a rather extreme level here, Alexander."  
  
"I'm just trying to make you realize that Archer is under a lot of pressure. For him, _everything_ is at stake. Angering a 24th century captain from an alternate future is something he will most likely take into account if it means saving his version of humanity."  
  
"Let's say all of this is true - the fact still remains that, even if they wanted to, they couldn't steal anything from us. They don't have the technology to even penetrate our shields."  
  
"They probably think they don't _need_ to have it," Alex said and put his hands on the table. "What impression did you have of Archer?"  
  
"He was impulsive. Emotional. Quick to judge."  
  
"Now look at yourself - you're the exact opposite."  
  
Picard frowned. "I don't understand."  
  
"How did you act during your conversation with him? Did you sit in your chair like you always do, calmly weighing your options?"  
  
"Yes...?"  
  
"Archer probably noticed that and drew the wrong conclusions. He now most likely thinks you're docile and complacent."  
  
"Now that you mention it... he _did_ make a comment that went into such a direction."  
  
"See? He probably even thinks you'll just let him go with the weapons if push comes to shove because you shy away from conflicts."  
  
"I don't, and I won't."  
  
"I know that and you know that. But Archer doesn't." Alex sighed deeply before he continued. "It has always been a small weakness of yours to overestimate fellow Starfleet captains, even in this century - remember Ben Maxwell? You always think they have the same high moral integrity and standards you have. But some of them just _don't_ \- especially not if they're desperate alternate timeline captains from the 22nd century."  
  
Silence.  
  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so blunt."  
  
"No, no, it's alright. You've given me quite a few things to think about." Picard stood up. "I have to go now - but, thank you for your advice."  
  
"My pleasure," the young bartender replied, smiling.  
  
Picard smiled back and then he turned around and walked out of the bar, lost in thoughts.

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

The door to Archer's ready room chimed.  
  
"Come in," he called out.  
  
Malcolm Reed stepped in. "Captain? I've got the report you asked for," he said and raised his hand in which he was holding a PADD. "Our sensors are back online, but our weapons are still down. That anomaly we went through damaged a lot of subsystems. Commander Tucker and Commander LaForge just finished their work in engineering."  
  
"LaForge, huh?" Archer stood up from the chair on which he had been sitting. "Human?"  
  
"Yes. Well, mostly."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"He has bionic eyes."  
  
"Bionic eyes?" Archer echoed.  
  
"Yes, sir. Commander Tucker says that he told him that he was born blind."  
  
"Interesting. What else did he tell Trip?"

"Not much. He mainly asked about schematics and diagrams."  
  
"Have they made any progress relating to our actual problem?"  
  
"Yes, they think that the Enterprise-E will be able to re-create that anomaly and that there's a way for us to go through undamaged." Reed handed the PADD to Archer. "The details are all here as well."  
  
"Thank you, Malcolm."  
  
Silence.  
  
Archer raised an eyebrow. "Anything else?"  
  
"Yes, Captain."  
  
"Spit it out, Lieutenant."  
  
"Sir... since our sensors are back online... I... erm... took the liberty of scanning the Enterprise-E."  
  
"Malcolm..."  
  
"I know what you'e going to say, sir, I should have asked you before I did that, but I made it appear like as if it was a random fluctuation in our sensors. I'm fairly certain they didn't notice."  
  
Archer harrumphed. "I guess it won't make much of a difference now anyway... what _did_ you scan them for?"  
  
"Weapons."  
  
"What?"  
  
"They carry something called quantum torpedoes. The power of those torpedoes is incredible - only one of them can destroy an entire ship. I couldn't get more detailed schematics because they're protected by an encryption code, but what I have so far -"  
  
"I don't like where this conversation is going," Archer interrupted. "You're not suggesting that I should ask Picard to give us a few of those torpedoes, are you?"

Reed shrugged.  
  
"He won't do that. He's already stretched that Temporal Prime Directive of his much further than he cares to."  
  
Reed simply looked at his captain.  
  
Archer began to pace. "I know what you're thinking, Lieutenant. We can't do that. Besides, I already have T'Pol breathing down my neck because I allowed LaForge to come aboard - I don't need _another_ lecture from her."  
  
"Sir, these are extraordinary circumstances," Reed insisted. "If we locate that Xindi weapon, we'll need something to destroy it with -  and something to fight off the Xindi ships that protect it. Our weapons alone most likely won't do."  
  
"Even if I agreed to this, how are we supposed to get our hands on these torpedoes?"  
  
"I'm sure Commander Tucker can come up with something. From a tactical viewpoint I'd say we'd have to wait until the last possible moment - then we could beam a few of their torpedos over and then quickly vanish through the anomaly. Their Temporal Prime Directive would prohibit them from following us. It would work in _our_ favor this time."  
  
Archer took a deep breath. "Are you aware that you're asking me to betray a fellow Starfleet captain's trust?"  
  
"With all due respect, sir, what is more important? Our mission or Picard's trust?"  
  
The two men looked at one another - and they both knew the answer.

 

***********

 

The door to Picard's ready room chimed.

"Come," he called out.  
  
Geordi LaForge stepped in. "Captain, here's the report you asked for." He walked up to Picard and handed him a PADD.  
  
"Thank you, Commander." Picard took it. "What's the bottom line?"  
  
"We can help them," LaForge replied. "Although we need _them_ , too. Or rather, their hull plating. It needs to be polarized to a certain degree, otherwise the anomaly will tear them apart when they go through."  
  
"The anomaly... can we re-create it?"  
  
"Yes, with the help of our deflector dish. The details are all in the report."  
  
"Will they return at the exact moment they left?"  
  
"According to our calculations, yes."  
  
Picard looked at his chief engineer from top to bottom. "You don't sound very happy."  
  
LaForge sighed. "Permission to speak freely, Captain?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"I've just spent two hours with Commander Tucker. He's a brilliant chief engineer who knows his ship inside and out, and I have full confidence in his abilities, but..." He broke off.  
  
"You don't think their mission will succeed."  
  
"I doubt it. They're up against more than one enemy. It's not just the Xindi - that Expanse Tucker told me about seems to be a very unstable region of space, both regarding its inhabitants and its nature. And that ship over there is ill-equipped to handle either one. Commander Tucker knows that."  
  
Picard raised an eyebrow. "Did he ask you for anything?"  
  
"Not directly, but he implied more than once that we, or rather, our weapons, could handle the situation a lot better."  
  
Picard put the PADD on his desk and leaned back in his chair. "In your opinion, Commander - are these people capable of stealing from us?"  
  
"Well, sir - they're desperate. And angry. Especially Commander Tucker."  
  
"Explain."  
  
"He lost his sister in a recent Xindi attack. To him it's personal, and it's clouding his judgment. And he isn't the only one who feels that way - if you ask me, peace with the Xindi isn't on _anyone's_ mind on that ship."  
  
"That might change," Picard mused. "It's always easier to hate an enemy you know nothing about."  
  
"Frankly, I doubt they'll even get as far as to _meet_ these Xindi."  
  
Picard sighed softly. "You know... you're the second person who tells me that Archer and his crew might be planning something."  
  
LaForge shrugged. "It's just a feeling, sir. A hunch."  
  
"Your hunches often have a way of becoming facts," Picard remarked.  
  
"I hope that won't be the case this time. Still, I _have_ taken the liberty of letting my tricorder run while Commander Tucker and I were walking through the NX's corridors. I got a pretty good reading of their transporter. I think can figure out its frequency, isolate it and block it completely from even _trying_ to lock on to something aboard this ship. With your permission, of course."  
  
Picard looked at him. "Permission granted, Mr. LaForge."


	6. Chapter 6

" _Engineering to bridge._ "  
  
Picard leaned back in his captain's chair. "Yes, Mr. LaForge?"  
  
" _We're ready to engage the modified deflector dish beam._ "  
  
"Make it so."

Silence.  
  
"Captain, I'm reading a temporal distortion directly ahead. The anomaly is beginning to form," Mordock said. "The readings match the ones we took when we encountered the first one."  
  
"Captain, the NX is hailing us," Burke chimed in. "Audio only."  
  
"Put it through."  
  
" _Captain Picard? This is Archer._ "  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
" _Our sensors indicate that the anomaly matches the one we went through when we came here._ "  
  
"Ours tell us the same," Picard replied.  
  
" _Then I guess we'll be on our way._ "  
  
"Captain Archer?"  
  
" _Yes?_ "  
  
"Good luck with your mission. I hope you'll find what you're looking for."  
  
" _Thank you. For everything. Archer out._ "  
  
Picard focused his gaze on the viewscreen where the NX-01 was approaching the swirling blue gases.  
  
"They've just polarized their hull plating," Mordock said. "They're almost through."  
  
"Sir, I'm detecting a transporter signal. They're trying to lock on to ten torpedoes in our torpedo bay," Burke blurted out.  
  
Picard sighed inwardly and turned towards his security chief. "Are they able to establish a lock?"  
  
"No, sir. Commander LaForge's modifications are very effective."  
  
"Captain, look!"  
  
Picard looked back at the screen where the NX-01 had now vanished into the anomaly, and, as soon as it had gone through, the rather fascinating phenomenon collapsed in on itself as if it had never been there.

 

**********

 

Picard quickly sat down at the head of the Observation Lounge table and tugged his uniform into place. He was the last to arrive since he had already been on his way to his quarters in order to prepare himself for his wedding when Pulaski had called for an unscheduled conference in the Observation Lounge.    
  
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," Pulaski said. "I think this will interest you quite a bit." She switched on the holographic projector on the table and it proceeded to show the now familiar blue gases in space. "You all recognize this, correct?"

"It's the anomaly the NX went through about half an hour ago," Madden replied.  
  
"Yes. And no."  
  
Everyone tensed.  
  
Pulaski smiled. "Relax, Gentlemen. You did nothing wrong. Your calculations were accurate. In fact, they were _too_ accurate."  
  
"What do you mean?" LaForge asked.  
  
"When Captain Archer was beamed aboard for his first and only visit, I took a look at the transporter logs. It was mainly out of curiosity, I wanted to know whether humans in his time line have evolved in the same way we have. What I found was a small discrepancy in their genetic makeup. Nothing bad, it's just a tiny fraction of the DNA sequence that is affected, and it normally wouldn't make any difference... unless it encounters a temporal anomaly like the one the NX just went through." She switched off the projection. "The first time they went through the anomaly, nothing happened because it had been created on _their_ side, by _their_ universe. That's also why I didn't think much of it - it seemed rather insignificant. However, _we_ created that second anomaly with the patterns from _our_ universe. We used _our_ human genetic readings to make sure it wouldn't harm them."

"Don't tell us they're all dead now," Burke said flatly.  
  
Pulaski smiled. "No - the only thing that was affected was their short term memories. They don't remember anything about our encounter with them. They also most likely don't even remember the first anomaly."  
  
"In other words... they don't remember _us_ ," Picard concluded.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"There was a Vulcan among them," Burke said. "I saw her on the bridge. What about her?"  
  
"She's been affected in the same way. This genetic discrepancy is not limited to just humans. It's universal - meaning, _all_ life forms."  
  
"Thank you very much for this information, Doctor," Picard said. "Somehow it's rather comforting to know that we didn't contaminate their time line after all."  
  
Pulaski nodded. "I thought it might be a relief for you, especially since you need your full concentration for something else in about... ah, an hour."  
  
Picard shifted in his chair. "Speaking of which, if there's nothing else...?"  
  
"No, that was all from my part."  
  
Picard stood up. "Well... dismissed, then."


	7. Chapter 7

 

Admiral Robert DeSoto smiled broadly at the rather nervous couple in front of him. "Now that you have both answered my question with 'I do', it is my responsibility - and my pleasure - to hereby pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss."  
  
Picard and Alex looked at each other, both rather embarrassed by being forced into this kind of public display of affection - but then they both slowly leaned forward and kissed each other on the lips. The members of the Enterprise's senior staff, who had been seated right behind them, rose from their chairs and began to applaud, as did the other guests who had been lucky enough to find a seat in the bar. The Picards quickly broke their kiss, shook hands with Admiral DeSoto and then turned around to face the senior staff, who had all walked up to them.  
  
"So, how does it feel to be married?" Madden asked cheerfully.  
  
"Actually, not much different so far," Picard replied dryly.  
  
"Aside from the fact that I'm now going to have to get used to having a last name again," Alex added.  
  
"I hope you won't expect us to call you 'Mr. Picard' from now on," LaForge quipped.  
  
"Don't you dare," Alex shot back. "Speaking of which, though – I've created a drink for this occasion. It s called The Picard." He waved at the waiter behind the bar. "Jay?"  
  
Jay picked up a tray of cocktail glasses from below the bar and then walked over to them. The drink was red at the bottom and black at the top, thus bearing more than just a slight resemblance to the old Starfleet uniforms. They all took a glass (Alex took the one with the old-fashioned Coca-Cola in it), waited for Jay and the other waiters to hand all other guests a drink as well and then looked expectantly at DeSoto.  
  
The admiral raised his glass. "A toast… to the Picards."  
  
"Hear hear," everyone exclaimed and then they all took a sip.  
  
"Holy hell, Alex, this is a damn fine drink," Burke exclaimed. "What's in it?"  
  
Alex smiled broadly and took another sip from his Coke. "A good bartender never tells."  
  
In that moment, the doors to Eleven Forward opened and the ship's Bolian cook walked in with a huge chocolate cake on a four-wheeled tray that he was pushing. "Coming through, careful... coming through!"  
  
"Mr. Bal, what are you doing here?" Picard demanded. "We didn't order anything from the kitchen."  
  
"I know. That's why I made a cake on my own," Bal said and stopped right in front of the officers. "I wanted to give you something special for your wedding, sir. And not just me - the entire crew did."  
  
He lifted the tray's white tablecloth and revealed an additional tray underneath that was filled with gift-wrapped items. "These are for you – from all of us. Congratulations!"  
  
Picard smiled slightly and only Alex could tell how touched he really was. "That's very thoughtful - thank you, Mr. Bal. Please extend our gratitude to the crew."  
  
"You're welcome, sir. I will."  
  
"And now you two have to cut the cake," Pulaski chimed in and took a knife from the tray. "But, remember: The one who has the upper hand on the knife handle will also have the upper hand in the marriage."  
  
"Doctor, we're supposed to be beyond such utterly ridiculous superstitions," Picard remarked while Alex took the knife.  
  
"If you say so, Captain," Pulaski remarked innocently.  
  
"I most certainly do," Picard huffed. "I refuse to believe that the position of hands on a knife handle has any influence on a mar-"

"Umm, Jean-Luc?" Alex called.  
  
Picard glanced at his husband, who was already standing in front of the cake. Then he looked back at Pulaski. "I would be delighted to discuss this further with you, Doctor, but you'll have to excuse me for now - I have a cake to cut."

  
*************

  
  
"What on Earth are we supposed to do with an Aldebaran paperweight?" Alex asked and waved the rather intriguing-looking gift around.  
  
"Probably the same thing we're supposed to do with this glass swan," Picard remarked and pointed at the item in question.  
  
"Throw it at those who gave it to us for thinking we have such dreadful taste?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
The two men looked at one another - and then they both laughed.  
  
"Honestly, this is one of the most touching things I've ever witnessed," Alex said and put the paperweight down. "They all gave us something even though they were told about the wedding only a few hours in advance. Granted, the aesthetic value of some of what we got is rather... questionable, but still. I'm pretty damn impressed."  
  
"How many presents are there?" Picard asked and looked at the items on the floor.  
  
"I lost count somewhere at 200. Just be glad they teamed up for this - imagine us receiving a gift from every single crew member. That would've been more than 800 presents to unwrap."  
  
"Horrifying," Picard muttered and sat down on the bed. "What a day. I'm glad we were able to excuse ourselves from the celebrations."  
  
"Me, too." Alex sat down next to his husband. "But then, the upcoming days are going to be just as stressful once the rest of Starfleet realizes that the captain of the flagship just got married."  
  
"I know. I'll drown in messages."  
  
"If it's any comfort, I'll get at least one rather unpleasant message myself."  
  
"You mean your mother? I thought you said she's become a lot more open towards the idea of the two of us?"  
  
"That's not it. She'll be mad that I didn't tell her about getting married."  
  
"Now that you mention it, I don't think Marie will be pleased either about me not telling her in advance. She'll probably arrange for a full LaBarre banquet as soon as we set foot on Earth the next time."  
  
"Horrifying," Alex muttered.  
  
They both chuckled and then looked at each other again.  
  
"I'm still glad we planned our wedding the way we did," Picard said softly.  
  
Alex smiled. "As am I."  
  
They leaned towards each other, about to kiss -  
  
The door chimed.  
  
"Who could that be?" Picard wondered. "Did _you_...?"  
  
Alex raised his hands and shook his head. "No surprise from _me_ here. Maybe the crew...?"  
  
"I don't think so. They know when its enough." Picard stood up from the bed and tugged his dress uniform jacket into place. "This can't be good."  
  
Alex stood up as well and followed his husband to the door. When they had reached it, Picard unlocked it, it slid open - and they were greeted by the sight of an empty corridor.  
  
"What the dev-"  
  
A short squeal from below interrupted Picard's exclamation. The two men looked down and only now did they notice the old-fashioned basket that had been placed right in front of the door.  
  
It wasn't just a basket, however: Lying inside, wrapped in a green blanket, was a human baby.

Alex knelt down next to the basket. "Hey there. Where did _you_ come from?"  
  
The baby looked at him, eyes wide open - and then it laughed.  
  
Alex grinned at it and gently poked its little nose. "You're from the funny side of the universe, aren't you?"  
  
"Alexander, look at this." Picard bent down briefly and pulled out a card from the little pillow behind the baby's head.  
  
" _Bonsoir, mon capitaine_ ," he read out loud. " _Remember the promise I made about returning that debt from when you saved me from eternity in prison? You're looking at that very payment right now._  
  
_Congratulations on your wedding,_  
_Q_ "  
  
Picard dropped the card and gaped at Alex, who gaped back from below in complete and utter astonishment.


	8. Chapter 8

Pulaski walked into her office where Picard and Alex were sitting, both still in their wedding outfits. She herself was still in her dress uniform as well since the call had come while she had still been at the party in Eleven Forward; in fact, it had been rather difficult for her to leave without a concerned first officer on her heels - Madden had been standing right next to her when their rather agitated captain had contacted her because of 'a rather unusual medical emergency'.  
  
"Your report, Doctor."  
  
Pulaski sat down and put her hands on her desk. "I don't quite know how to say this... but what it comes down to is that you two have just become... well, parents."  
  
The two men stared at her in shock.  
  
Pulaski smiled nervously. "I know how this sounds, but my test results indicate that you two are each both mother and father of that baby boy you brought me."  
  
"That is biologically impossible," Picard croaked, his voice barely a whisper of what it normally was.  
  
"It is," Pulaski confirmed. "And yet it happened. You said the baby apparently came from Q, which might explain all of this - he can do and apparently also _create_ anything he wants."  
  
"That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."  
  
Pulaski leaned forward. "Captain, that baby in the crib next door is not ridiculous at all. He's a living, breathing human being."  
  
"But he came from Q," Picard protested.  
  
"That depends on one's point of view," Pulaski said matter-of-factly. "Q might have created him, but he is _your_ child since _you_ two are his biological parents."  
  
Picard ran his hands over his bald head. "I don't believe this...!"  
  
"Q told you he would have a pleasant surprise for you one day," Pulaski reminded him. "That baby seems to be it."  
  
"I refuse to accept this," Picard blurted out, stood up and began to pace. "This is just one of his tricks that he comes up with to humiliate me - as soon as he's had his share of laughs he'll wipe that boy out of existence with a snap of his fingers!"  
  
"You actually think I would be this cruel, don't you, mon capitaine?"

Picard whirled around, and, sure enough, Q was standing there, leaning against the frame of the office door.  
  
"I knew you would be questioning this wedding gift of mine."  
  
"Gift?" Picard barked. "Q, this is a child! A child is _not_ a wedding gift!"  
  
"Most parents do consider their child to be a gift," Pulaski remarked from behind.  
  
Q glanced at her. "I'm impressed, Jean-Luc. It seems you finally found yourself a doctor who actually has something that resembles a brain."  
  
"Could we _please_ stay on topic?"  
  
"I'm trying to, but I honestly don't think you're in any condition for a serious discussion right now," Q shot back. "Your new husband, on the other hand..."  
  
Picard looked at Alex, who was still sitting in his chair, unmoving. "Alexander...?"  
  
The young bartender looked up. "Mmm?"  
  
" _Mmm_?!" Picard echoed. "Is that all you have to say about this entire situation? This concerns you as much as it concerns me!"  
  
 "I know. I just think we should approach this a little more... rationally."  
  
"Are you saying that I'm being _irrational_?!"  
  
"He's quite right, you know," Q chimed in. "You _are_ on the verge of a nervous breakdown."  
  
"I'm simply concerned about the ethical implications of creating a new life form in this utterly irresponsible manner," Picard retorted.  
  
"It's a somewhat wild approach, granted - but then, not all babies are conceived and born in the conventional way," Alex remarked.  
  
Picard gaped at him. "Whose side are you on?!"  
  
"The baby's."  
  
"What is that supposed to me-"  
  
"Now we're finally getting somewhere," Q interrupted. "Before I allow you two to discuss this in private, there's one more thing I have to say: I had to go to great lengths in the Continuum for this. They're still rather embarrassed at the whole prison affair, so, in the end, they granted me my request for creating a child for you two - but nothing more. Neither I nor my fellow Q have any influence whatsoever on that boy. He's entirely yours now, both literally and figuratively." He raised his index finger. "As for my reasons... I only created what both of you secretly wanted."  
  
He snapped his fingers and vanished - as did Picard and Alex, who suddenly found themselves standing in their bedroom with the baby sleeping peacefully in a crib next to them.  



	9. Chapter 9

 

"Q?" Picard demanded and looked around in the bedroom. "Show yourself! We need to discuss this!"  
  
Alex sat down on the bed. "I don't think you'll get an answer."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because _I'm_ the one you should be discussing things with, not Q."  
  
Picard looked at his husband and only now did he notice the sadness. "Alexander...?"  
  
"You were right when you said that this concerns me as much as it concerns you - and yet you haven't even been listening to what I might have to say. All that has mattered to you so far has been yelling - first at Kate, then at Q." The young bartender looked up. "I've just become a parent - which, until now, I've found a lot more implausible than you, because, as you very well know, my preferences tend to go towards the male gender only. Right now I feel like as if I've just been thrown into a huge lake, forced to swim without knowing where the shore is."  
  
Picard sighed softly and then slowly sat down next to his husband and put his hand on his shoulder. "You're right, I really didn't listen to you. I'm sorry - I should have taken your feelings into account as well."  
  
Alex looked at the hand. "I know next to nothing about babies or kids in general, but I'll admit that I'm open to the general idea of raising a child with you. I've always thought that you'd make a wonderful father, and I have a feeling that Batai and Meribor would agree with me if they were here now."  
  
Picard bit his lower lip but said nothing.  
  
"Q was right, wasn't he?"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About _you_ also secretly thinking about us having a child."  
  
"I can't deny that this particular thought occasionally crossed my mind," Picard admitted. "Still, I stand by my opinion that all of this is happening far too quickly - and that a child is not a wedding gift."  
  
"Of course it isn't, I'm not trying to argue that point," Alex said softly. "But you have to put yourself in Q's shoes for a moment."  
  
Picard frowned _._ "What?"  
  
"I'm serious. You saved him from eons in prison; he simply wanted to thank you for that with a special gift that carries quite a bit of meaning since it will continue the Picard family line. Besides, he's omnipotent - he doesn't think in human terms, which is why he doesn't care about the moral implications of this. He also doesn't care that he's thrown us right into one hell of a responsibility and he doesn't care about details such as what we're supposed to tell our son when he's old enough to ask where he came from. None of these issues matter to him, all that's important is the gift itself. Try to look at things from his point of view for a change - you're always so good at putting yourself into an alien's shoes, so, why not Q's?"  
  
"Q is a special case. He knows how to anger me so much that I can't think of anything else."  
  
"That's only because you _let_ him anger you. But right now you need to see past this anger. For the baby's sake." Alex stood up and walked over to the crib in which the baby was still sound asleep. "This little guy here hasn't done anything wrong. None of this is his fault. No matter where he came from, the fact remains that _we_ are his parents - and that he needs us."

Picard stood up as well and joined his husband in front of the crib. "I know all that. I... I'm not only upset because of Q, however." He cleared his throat. "Last time I had children, they were suddenly taken away from me and I had to come to terms with the fact that they hadn't even been real in the first place. I've never recovered from that. I... I don't even want to think about it happening again with this child."  
  
"I don't think Q was lying when he said that neither he nor the Continuum have any influence on this kid. Besides, he has a son himself. He knows what's involved."  
  
"I don't think he was lying either," Picard said. "Another reason to be... concerned."  
  
Alex reached out and took his husband's hand. "We'll both need time to come to terms with this. It's not going to happen overnight and we'll have a lot of conversations like this one. It's not going to be easy, for neither of us - there will be a lot of adjustments to make. But I really think we can do this. Together."  
  
Picard briefly squeezed Alex' hand and the two men focused their attention on the baby. Neither of them said anything for quite a while until Alex broke the silence.  
  
"I... umm... I noticed that he has _your_ eyes."  
  
"And _your_ nose," Picard muttered. "He should be grateful for that."  
  
Silence.

"He needs a name," Alex suddenly said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"We can't keep calling him 'the baby', now can we?"  
  
"I suppose not, no." Picard looked at his husband. "Any ideas?"  
  
"How about a French one?"  
  
"I was going to suggest a German one."  
  
Alex smiled slightly. "Oh, no. He's a Picard - his first name _has_ to be French."  
  
The baby began to move, and Picard quickly reached out his hand and adjusted the blanket. "Quite a restless sleeper, isn't he."  
  
"Maybe he somehow feels that we're making a huge decision on his behalf."  
  
Picard scratched his chin. "Hmm. I can think of quite a few French names at the moment but none of them stands out."  
  
"I've always had one name in mind when it comes to what name I'd want my son to have."  
  
Picard raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What name would that be?"  
  
"Lars."  
  
"Lars? Sounds nordic."

"It's common in Scandinavian countries, yes - and it was also quite common in Hamburg."  
  
"Is there a French equivalent?"  
  
"Yes. Laurent."  
  
"Laurent," Picard repeated. "Laurent Picard. That sounds good."  
  
The baby suddenly woke up, looked at the two men in front of the crib - and smiled.  
  
 Picard and Alex glanced at one another.  
  
"He likes it." Alex looked back at the baby. "Laurent? Does that name sound good to you?"  
  
The boy raised his little arms and began to wave them around.  
  
"I believe the matter is settled," Picard said. "Welcome aboard, Laurent."


End file.
